Development of linkages between engineering universities and industry in the field of industrial research can help Pakistan's manufacturing sector and become more internationally competitive, said Vice Chancellor University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Major General Muhammad Akam Khan (Retd) here on Saturday.
"Industrial sector should benefit from initiative of Higher Education Commission (HEC) in this regard," he said while speaking as chief guest at a one-day workshop on 'CAD/CAM training skills' organised by Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company (Tusdec).
Chairman Tusdec, Almas Hyder, Managing Director Tusdec, Suhael Ahmed, Project Director Tools, Dies and Moulds Centre, Karachi, Nauman Tirmizi, General Manager Technology Incubation Centre (National University of Science and Technology), (Nust), Zulifqar Ali and representatives of industry also spoke on the occasion.
Major General Muhammad Akram Khan (Retd) said that UET was setting up its campuses in Kala Shah Kaku, Faisalabad and Sialkot, adding that manufacturing engineering would be major discipline being introduced at these campuses in line with the needs of these industrial towns. Talking about the initiatives of UET for research on industrial technology, the vice chancellor said that the university was setting up Manufacturing Technology Development Centre (MTDC) in addition to Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department earlier set up.
He also talked about the CAD/CAM training centre set up in UET with the help of world renowned software companies, local industry and HEC.
Akram Khan also eulogised the efforts of government in increasing the allocation for higher education in Pakistan.
Speaking on this occasion, Chairman Tusdec, Almas Hyder said that Tusdec was setting up centres in eight towns of the country to train industrial workers and youth in computer aided designing and manufacturing (CAD/CAM).
He said that training of youth in CAD and CAM would help transform country's skill-based manufacturing system into digital-based one, thus narrowing the technology divide between Pakistan and other parts of the world.
"It is high time that this divide be bridged through the steps like CAD/CAM training. Otherwise, it will become impossible for Pakistan catch up with the advancement in the developed countries," Almas Hyder said. He regretted that non-availability of manpower trained in state of the art technology had been forcing country's industrialists to invest in old machinery. "Had there been enough manpower with training in new technology, the industrialists would definitely have invested in latest machinery," he said.
He said that tools, dies and moulds centres were being set up in Karachi and Gujranwala. "These steps are going to bring in a paradigm shift in country's manufacturing practices," Tusdec chief hoped.
Managing Director, Tusdec, Suhael Ahmed presented the address of welcome on this occasion.
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